Fifty-eight year old Liu Kun-shan has smoked cigarettes for over 30 years. Last month, suffering from acute chest pain, Liu went to a medical clinic for a check-up where it was discovered he had symptoms of a heart attack. Liu was immediately transferred to Yuanlin township’s Veterans General Hospital. Liu’s heart unexpectedly stopped beating two minutes prior to his arrival at the hospital. Unable to breathe and having lost all signs of life, it took three instances of CPR before a faint heart beat was recovered. Liu was wheeled into surgery for balloon dilatation and vascular stenting operations. In the end, Liu was spared from a meeting with the Grim Reaper.
Liu says that for the past 30 years he smoked a packet of cigarettes every day. His family were always nagging him, but Liu didn’t take them seriously up until this incident took place and he realized that “it’s good to be alive.” Ever since then, Liu hasn’t dared to touch another cigarette.
According to one of the doctors, many patients mistake acute chest pain to have been caused by smoking too many cigarettes. In actual fact, it is a classic symptom of coronary artery occlusion. If the arteries have become narrowed and there is platelet aggregation and blood clotting, it will lead to a heart attack. In approximately 50 percent of patients it will set off an irregular heartbeat, resulting in an very high probability of death. Therefore, it is crucial to receive prompt medical treatment.
(Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones)
Photo: Yen Hung-chun, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者顏宏駿
五十八歲的劉坤山吸菸三十多年,總是菸不離手,上個月因胸悶痛,到診所就醫檢查,發現有心肌梗塞徵兆,立即被轉送員林榮民醫院。沒想到在到院前兩分鐘心臟停止跳動,也無法呼吸,失去生命跡象,經過三次的電擊急救後,才恢復微弱心跳,被推進手術室進行氣球擴張術與血管支架置放術,總算從鬼門關前被救回來。
劉坤山表示,過去三十多年,每天至少吸一包菸,家人總是碎碎唸,但他從不以為意,直到這次事件後才發現「活著真好」,從此不敢再碰菸了。
醫生說,很多病人常把胸悶痛,誤以為是菸抽多引起。事實上,這是心臟冠狀動脈阻塞的典型症狀,如果血管狹窄,出現血小板凝結及血栓,就會產生心肌梗塞,大約有百分之五十病人會引發心律不整,致死率非常高,一定要趕快送醫搶救生命。
(自由時報記者顏宏駿)
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